Will Six Flags Holland be a hard sell?

Wendigo

Posted:12/8/99 at5:18:32 PM

Views: 439

I read the big announcment today about SFH, and I'm wondering about how well it will go with the folks over in Holland. Look at DLP-it seems like most of the people who visit that park come from outside of France, and there are a lot of French who hate DLP. Meanwhile, Port Aventura has Woody Woodpecker appearing at that park ever since Universal took over, but nobody seems to notice maybe because the ever present person in the costume seems to be limited to making appearances near the park entrance, at least when I was there in August. So, how well would Loony Toons and D.C. comic book charatchers go over with the GP in Holland? I know that at least two of the Walibi parks are based on European comic strips and cartoons-that Smurf park in France and I recall reading about one of the two Walibi parks in Belgium being based on Lucky Luke. I won't be surprised if other popular European icons like Tintin or Baba Paba's are used in some of the other parks. If those charatchers get scraped in favor of Bugs Bunny or Batman, could this lead to some sort of a backlash? On a somewhat lighter note, I wonder if a woodie or a B&M could be in store in SFH's future. -Wendigo

Re: Will Six Flags Holland be a hard sell? by
Cal at 12/9/99 4:51:46 AM

I think the park will get a much better response than DLP from its locals. The Dutch are pretty cool people and all are excellent English speakers and aren't snobbish like the Parisians. More to the point, SFH is in easy reach of Belgium and Germany, and not too far from Britain, so there's a large potential audience.

A woodie is definitely in store - it's one of the 20 new rides going in. There's also going to be a launched spaghetti-bowl coaster (hmmm...), a boomerang and a mouse. Other rides include a topspin. lots of kids rides and a Batman show.

Cal

: I read the big announcment today about SFH, and
: I'm wondering about how well it will go with
: the folks over in Holland. Look at DLP-it
: seems like most of the people who visit that
: park come from outside of France, and there
: are a lot of French who hate DLP. Meanwhile,
: Port Aventura has Woody Woodpecker appearing
: at that park ever since Universal took over,
: but nobody seems to notice maybe because the
: ever present person in the costume seems to
: be limited to making appearances near the
: park entrance, at least when I was there in
: August. So, how well would Loony Toons and
: D.C. comic book charatchers go over with the
: GP in Holland? I know that at least two of
: the Walibi parks are based on European comic
: strips and cartoons-that Smurf park in
: France and I recall reading about one of the
: two Walibi parks in Belgium being based on
: Lucky Luke. I won't be surprised if other
: popular European icons like Tintin or Baba
: Paba's are used in some of the other parks.
: If those charatchers get scraped in favor of
: Bugs Bunny or Batman, could this lead to
: some sort of a backlash? On a somewhat
: lighter note, I wonder if a woodie or a B&M
: could be in store in SFH's future. -Wendigo

Re: Will Six Flags Holland be a hard sell? by
Cal at 12/10/99 6:01:05 AM

: I've been informed that half of what you say is
: true. I'll have more infos later.

It should be - I got it from the press release! (Below)

WALIBI FLEVO TO BECOME FIRST SIX FLAGS INTERNATIONAL THEME PARK

PARK DOUBLING SIZE WITH MAJOR EXPANSION PROJECT

Amsterdam -One of the most recognizable and popular theme park brands in the entertainment industry is coming to Europe with the unveiling today of the new Six Flags Holland regional theme park, near Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

An enormous expansion involving the addition of a record-setting 20-plus new rides, shows and attractions at the former Walibi Flevo amusement park was announced today. The expansion project includes three powerhouse new high-thrill roller coasters, a family coaster, a new children section and an elaborate new front entrance plaza and Main Street. The expansion will double the entertainment scope of the Park, making it comparable in size and stature to the popular Six Flags mega-parks in the United States.

"This is a momentous day for this Park and Six Flags," commented Dan Alyward, Executive Vice President, Six Flags European Division for Premier Parks Inc., the world's largest regional theme park. The company owns and operates 35 parks worldwide including the Walibi parks throughout Europe. Premier Parks recently acquired Warner Bros. Movie World park in Germany.

"Six Flags is a dynamic brand known for leading-edge thrill rides, spectacular shows, creative theme presentations and family entertainment," Aylward commented. "Six Flags Holland will be unlike any regional park in Europe when it opens this spring with more than 40 rides, shows and attractions. It will be a whole new experience--one we are confident families throughout Europe will thoroughly enjoy."

More than 100 million NGL is being invested at 130-hectare Six Flags Holland this year, the largest single-year expansion of a regional theme park ever in Europe. Topping the list of stunning new rides and attractions is a one-of-a-kind blockbuster new roller coaster equipped with revolutionary propulsion technology known as Linear Synchronous Motor (LSM).

The new coaster will feature a theme presentation around the popular Superman character from DC Comics. "The theme presentation adds to the overall excitement and experience of the ride by creating a mystique and attitude," Aylward said.

This new technology launches riders from the load station into a mammoth mass of twisting, turning and looping steel track. Riders are rocketed from zero to 90 kph in less than four seconds and delivers 4Gs at certain points during the ride. The tightly-wound track, which resembles a gigantic bowl of spaghetti, features vertical curves, horizontal curves and upside down loops.

"Our new LSM hi-tech super coaster is emblematic of the long-standing leadership of Six Flags to bring the public the biggest, tallest, fastest and greatest thrill rides," Aylward noted. Six Flags was the first theme park company in the world to introduce the steel tubular coaster, river raft adventure rides and LSM propulsion technology.

A giant new classic wooden roller coaster will extend almost one km. along the northern edge of the Park. The new coaster alters the growing skyline of the Park as it towers over 30 meters high at the first major hill. In total, the new wooden coaster will take riders over 10 hills, around seven curves and reach speeds of 80 kph.

A boomerang forward and backward steel looping coaster and wild mouse family coaster complete the new coaster package coming to Six Flags Holland for 2000. "The new Six Flags Holland will have every kind and level of thrill imaginable from the wild to the mild," Aylward said.

Besides the new roller coasters, additional high-thrill new rides and attractions are under construction around the Park. These rides include the Top Spin, an intense ride that flips riders at different speeds forward and backward while they are harnessed into individual seats lined in long rows.

Over half of the new rides and attractions are part of a new section of the Park geared to families with children. A Looney Tunes theme will serve as a brilliant backdrop for this new xx-hectare section. A licensing partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC Comics allows Six Flags to use the popular characters in theme presentations and live shows at the Park. News rides include a Looney Tunes train, frog hooper, mini teacups, bigfoot truck, bumper cars, tea cups and crazy bus.

Batman will make dramatic debut at Six Flags Holland next spring starring in the explosive production, Batman Thrill Spectacular. This high-energy, action-packed live show is full of special effects. The first rate show is performed on a Hollywood soundstage set. Batman takes on his archenemies in the show, ensuring good does triumph over evil.

Guests will be greeted upon their arrival at the new Six Flags Holland by a glistening new front entrance plaza. A new Main Street regaled in a '40s-style Hollywood theme will create a stunning vista of the Park. At the end of the Main Street will tower a giant 45 meters big wheel. "The entrance and Main Street will be dramatic," Aylward explained. "Guests will be astounded at the scope of the changes at the Park from the moment they walk up to the new front plaza."

Construction is well underway on many of the new rides and attractions. Completion of the massive project is expected in time for the April 2000 opening of the new Six Flags Holland.

Six Flags Holland is owned and operated by Six Flags Theme Parks, part of Premier Parks Inc., the world's largest regional theme park with a total of 35 parks in the United States, Europe and Latin America. Six Flags parks serve 17 of the top 25 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. The parks annually host more than 45 million guests worldwide. Premier Parks is a publicly held corporation with corporate offices in New York City and Oklahoma City. The Company's stock trades on the NYSE under the symbol: PKS.

Nope, sorry - LSMs (linear synchronous motor) is what is actually used on all these rides which catapult trains and so they are technically correct. However, a LSM does need a LIM to start it operating so you are partially correct!

Its totally false. While an LSM coaster must use another means to get it started ( Tower Of Terror and Superman The Escape use LIM as you said, Rock n'Roller Coaster a pusher car ), there are no LSM on a LIM. A fact that even Premier Rides acknowledge!